Latest news with #Act2009
New Straits Times
a day ago
- New Straits Times
Kopitiam owner claims trial to bribery charge
JOHOR BARU: A 23-year-old kopitiam owner claimed trial at the Sessions Court here today to a charge of bribing a local council enforcement officer to avoid action against his premises. Tan Kai Dee, who owns a kopitiam in Taman Mutiara Mas, Skudai, pleaded not guilty after the charge was read out before Judge Datuk Ahmad Kamal Arifin Ismail. According to the charge sheet, Tan allegedly handed RM2,000 in cash to an enforcement assistant from the Iskandar Puteri City Council (MBIP) as an inducement to avoid enforcement action under Section 47(1)(a) of the Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974, which prohibits modifications to drains without written permission from the council. The offence was allegedly committed at the restaurant at 6.20pm on Nov 4 last year. He was charged under Section 17(b) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, which is punishable under Section 24(1) of the same Act. If convicted, he faces a jail term of up to 20 years and a fine of no less than five times the bribe amount or RM10,000, whichever is higher. MACC deputy public prosecutor Ameera D'aneez Mohd Shukari requested that bail be set at RM10,000, with additional conditions to prevent the accused from fleeing. Tan's counsel, K. Barathi, urged for a lower amount, citing that his client supports his wife and both parents. The court allowed bail at RM10,000 with one local surety and imposed two additional conditions: Tan must report to the Mutiara Rini police station once a month and surrender his passport to the court. The case has been fixed for mention on Sept 17 for document submission.
The Star
a day ago
- The Star
Skudai kopitiam owner claims trial to charge of offering RM2,000 bribe
JOHOR BARU: A kopitiam owner has claimed trial at the Sessions Court here for allegedly offering a RM2,000 bribe to a local council enforcement officer last year to avoid action being taken against his restaurant. Tan Kai Dee, 23, pleaded not guilty after the charge was read before Sessions Judge Datuk Ahmad Kamal Arifin Ismail here on Monday (July 29). According to the charge sheet, Tan was accused of giving RM2,000 in cash to an assistant enforcement officer with the Iskandar Puteri City Council (MBIP), who is considered a public servant under the law. The alleged bribe was an inducement for the officer not to take enforcement action against Tan's kopitiam, which was found to have committed an offence under Section 47(1)(a) of the Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974 (Act 133). The provision carries a maximum fine of RM500, and RM1,000 for repeat offences. The offence allegedly took place at the restaurant in Taman Mutiara Mas here in Skudai at around 6.20pm on Nov 4, 2024. Tan was charged under Section 17(b) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, and faces sentencing under Section 24(1) of the same Act. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years imprisonment and a fine of not less than five times the value of the bribe or RM10,000, or whichever is higher. MACC prosecuting officer Ameera D'aneez Mohd Shukari requested bail be set at RM10,000 with additional conditions to prevent the accused from absconding. Lawyer K. Barathi, who represented the accused, however, appealed for a lower bail, stating that Tan supports his wife and both parents. Judge Ahmad Kamal Arifin then set bail at RM10,000 with one local surety and also ordered Tan to report to the Mutiara Rini police station once a month and surrender his passport to the court. He then fixed Sept 17 for the next mention of the case for handing over of documents.
The Sun
2 days ago
- The Sun
Three Terengganu officers remanded over RM25k bribery for building approvals
KUALA TERENGGANU: Three local authority officers in Terengganu have been remanded for six days over allegations of accepting bribes totalling RM25,000 to facilitate building plan approvals. The remand order, issued by Magistrate Yuhanis Mohd Roslan, follows an application by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC). The suspects, two men and one woman aged between 40 and 50, were detained yesterday afternoon after giving statements at the Terengganu MACC office. A source revealed that the alleged offences occurred between 2015 and 2019, with bribes transferred into their personal bank accounts. 'Initial investigations found that the three suspects allegedly committed the offences between 2015 and 2019. They are believed to have received bribes amounting to about RM25,000 through separate fund transfers into their respective personal bank accounts,' the source said. The bribes were linked to 14 projects. The arrests follow a separate case in January involving a government agency director detained over a RM900,000 bribery scandal. Terengganu MACC director Hazrul Shazreen Abd Yazid confirmed the latest arrests, stating the case is being investigated under Section 17(a) of the MACC Act 2009. He did not rule out further arrests. - Bernama
New Straits Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
EAIC: Immigration officers abused power in medical visa approvals
KUALA LUMPUR: The Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) has found that Immigration officers abused their power by approving medical visas for foreigners from several countries. In a statement, the EAIC said its Special Task Force, led by Commissioner Datuk Seri Dr Razali Ab Malik, will refer the findings of its investigation to the Attorney-General's Chambers (A-GC). "The Special Task Force found that Immigration officers had approved medical visas for foreign nationals from several countries, despite knowing that the submitted application documents were incomplete and failed to meet the requirements outlined in Immigration Circular No. 10/2001. "As a result, the EAIC has decided to refer the investigation's findings to the A-GC under Paragraph 30(1)(c) of the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission Act 2009, with a recommendation for criminal charges to be brought against the officers involved, under provisions of the Penal Code, the Immigration Act 1959/63, and the Passport Act 1966," it said. The EAIC said Razali noted that the Special Task Force had reviewed violations in the medical visa approval process. This included assessments of procedural compliance, witness interviews, document seizures, and the preparation of recommendations for further action. Previously, the EAIC was reported to have formed the Special Task Force under Subsection 17(1) of the EAIC Act 2009 to investigate misconduct involving the issuance of medical visas to foreigners. Based on preliminary findings presented at a commission meeting on Oct 15 last year, it was decided that a full investigation would be conducted into suspicious activities believed to be linked to a syndicate, using the seized documents. On Oct 8, 2024, the EAIC reportedly visited the Immigration Department's Visa, Pass, and Permit Division in Putrajaya, where it seized 156 application files for Social Visit Passes (Treatment Pass category). The seizure followed complaints alleging that Immigration officers had issued these passes without following proper procedures.
The Star
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
Federal Court sets Oct 29 to hear appeal against Isa Samad's acquittal
KUALA LUMPUR: The Federal Court has fixed Oct 29 for the hearing of the prosecution's appeal against the Court of Appeal's decision to acquit former Felda chairman Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad. Mohd Isa, 75, was acquitted of all nine corruption charges involving RM3mil in connection with the purchase of Merdeka Palace Hotel & Suites in Kuching, Sarawak. Deputy public prosecutor Afzainizam Abdul Aziz said the hearing date was set by deputy registrar Wan Fatimah Zaharah Wan Yussof during an online case management proceeding on Friday (July 25). "All parties are required to file their written submissions two weeks before the appeal hearing,' Afzainizam said when contacted. Meanwhile, Mohd Isa's counsel Siti Sarah Khalil said the court has directed parties to file their submissions on or before Oct 14, with the next case management fixed for Oct 15. The prosecution filed its notice of appeal on March 7, 2024, and petition of appeal on June 26, advancing 24 grounds to support its contention that the Court of Appeal erred in law and fact when it acquitted Mohd Isa of all charges. On March 6, 2024, a three-member Court of Appeal panel comprising Justice Datuk Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera (now a Federal Court judge), Datuk Ahmad Zaidi Ibrahim and Datuk S.M. Komathy Suppiah set aside Mohd Isa's conviction and six-year sentence, as well as the RM15.45mil fine imposed by the High Court on Feb 3, 2021. The former Negeri Sembilan mentri besar was charged in 2018 with nine counts of receiving RM3,090,000 in bribes from Ikhwan Zaidel, a director of Gegasan Abadi Properties Sdn Bhd, through his former special political officer, Muhammad Zahid Md Arip, as an inducement for facilitating Felda Investment Corporation Sdn Bhd's approval to purchase the Merdeka Palace Hotel & Suites for RM160mil. The offences were alleged to have taken place at Level 49, Menara Felda, Platinum Park, No. 11, Persiaran KLCC, Kuala Lumpur, between July 21, 2014, and Dec 11, 2015. He was charged under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, which provides for a maximum sentence of 20 years' imprisonment and a fine of not less than five times the value of the bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction. - Bernama
